


Birthdates

by lucybeetle



Series: This Is Your Real Starting Line [4]
Category: Kamen Rider Drive
Genre: Birthday, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Gift Fic, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 03:52:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8235145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucybeetle/pseuds/lucybeetle
Summary: In the run-up to Shinnosuke's birthday, he goes on three very special dates with the people he loves.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kitarin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitarin/gifts).



> Birthday fic for Kit-Kit, still the sweetest person I know.

They’d decided, in the end, that it would be easier if everyone took Shinnosuke out separately for his birthday this year.

He didn’t _want_ to turn down the invitation to Christmas dinner with the rest of the old Special Unit; he’d just never liked having every single birthday lumped in with Christmas. If he went to the party, he would like to do something else to celebrate with his family. A while back, he’d told them the story of his first Christmas with the team. Gou had thought it hilarious. Chase didn’t understand.

“You thought Kiriko was inviting you to dinner by yourself,” he said.

“Yes, Christmas dinner. Because it’s romantic,” Shinnosuke had tried to explain.

“But she brought several other people on your date.”

“Right. So it wasn’t a date any more. I was disappointed,” said Shinnosuke.

“Why was it no longer a date? There are four of us, and we go on dates,” said Chase.

“Well, because –” Shinnosuke decided to leave it there. Chase was pouting a little, and it might be better not to confuse him, “Don’t worry about it, Chase. It’s all right now.”

Last birthday, they’d tried to have a group date together, but Gou had of course forgotten to book the restaurant Shinnosuke had picked out. They’d ended up squashed onto a park bench together, eating the KFC they’d waited almost three hours to get delivered. It wasn’t exactly how Shinnosuke had hoped to spend the day. When they’d started trying to plan something for this year, there had been several disagreements over where to go and what to do together. In the end Kiriko suggested they each take Shinnosuke somewhere individually.

“Yeah! Then he’ll get more presents,” said Gou. “And we can do more stuff with him.”

Shinnosuke said “I don’t want more presents. I want to spend time with all of you.”

They decided that if everyone kept one evening free for the three days before Shinnosuke’s birthday, he could have a date with each of the people he loved. On the day itself, they’d spend the afternoon together then go to dinner with the Special Unit. _That_ would be just a little bit nicer than having his birthday as the footnote at the office Christmas party.

“Where do you want to go, Kiriko?” he said.

“I’m not telling,” she said. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

“We’re not telling either. Right, Chase?” said Gou.

“We will definitely not tell Shinnosuke the thing that we are not telling him,” Chase confirmed.

Well, he hadn’t lived with them for so long without learning to expect surprises. It was just that, as Shinnosuke had once told Chase: there were nice surprises in life, like inheriting money. There were also some that weren’t so nice, such as last year, when the last piece of his birthday cake had gone missing and no one would own up to eating it.

***

Gou missed Christmas in the USA. The most popular post on his blog was a series of photos of New York at Christmas time; he’d made a nice amount of money from selling some of them to a tourist board. With that in mind, it probably wasn’t surprising he’d chosen to take Shinnosuke ice-skating. More accurately, _Gou_ was zooming around the rink at full “mach” speed, flashing his most charming smile at passing girls and giggling at Shinnosuke’s efforts to stay upright.

“You look like a baby giraffe trying to walk,” said Gou, gliding effortlessly past as if he’d been born on the ice.

“I’ve never skated before!” Shinnosuke protested, and promptly slipped over onto his backside.

Gou did slow down, after a while, and stuck by Shinnosuke’s side to help him keep his balance. Shinnosuke felt a bit silly having someone so much shorter than he hold him up; but it _did_ help. If nothing else, it was nicely companionable and gave them a good excuse to lean against each other’s sides. He got into his stride after a while and even picked up a bit of speed. It would be good to come back again some time, with Kiriko and Chase. At least then he would only be the third slowest person on the ice.

There was a fireworks show in town, so they picked up some of Gou’s favourite taiyaki and sat down to watch the display together.

“I bet you wish you’d brought your camera,” said Shinnosuke. Gou had solemnly promised Kiriko he’d leave it at home, and give “Shin-nii-san” his undivided attention.

“What?” said Gou, who’d stood up on the bench and was snapping pictures of the sky above. “Can’t hear you.”

When they got home, the house was locked and completely dark. It wasn’t like Kiriko to stay out so late, not when she had work in the morning.

“Where’s Kiriko?” Shinnosuke said.

“She’s gone to an AirBNB with Chase,” said Gou with a grin. “You didn’t think I was gonna take you out and not give you your birthday present, did you?”

As their lips touched and Gou’s hands began to roam across Shinnosuke’s skin, Shinnosuke mentally awarded full marks for Gou’s choice of present.

***

He’d finally got his Christmas dinner date with Kiriko, even if he’d had to wait two years for it.

“I screwed up the first time,” she’d said, when she showed him the reservation she’d made. “Let’s do it properly. Just us.”

They could have gone to a slightly nicer restaurant, now that they’d both been given substantial pay rises with their promotion to first division; but for old times’ sake, they chose the same one they’d gone to two years earlier. The surroundings were just as nice this time, the menu about the same, and Kiriko just as beautiful as she’d ever been. She was easily the most stunning woman in the restaurant but, more important than that, she was _his_ companion. She’d chosen to build a life with Shinnosuke. That was what was different.

He was almost glad, now, that two years ago it had turned out she was asking him to a surprise party with the Special Unit and not on a proper date. They could do it the right way this time. He could share a bottle of good wine with her, he could hold hands with her under the table, he could see her smile light up her whole face when he told her about his evening skating with Gou. This was what his heart had really hoped for when he’d asked Chase to just give him a break for one night, because he had plans. When he’d spent the whole day counting down the hours until he finished work; waiting to be able to go and meet Kiriko. He hadn’t truly wanted to sit there making awkward conversation about work and the menu, while he sat there trying to think of a way to not so subtly tell her she had the best smile he’d ever seen.

He’d wanted what he had with her now.

They shared some kind of fancy romantic dessert, which was a heart-shaped chocolate thing full of sweet cream. Passionfruit mousse, according to the menu, although Shinnosuke wasn’t quite sure what passionfruit was supposed to taste like. Kiriko loved it so much that they ordered another one; then they paid the bill and decided to drive somewhere together.

“Do you miss Tridoron?” she said, as they stood looking out over the waterfront.

“Yeah … but I miss Mr Belt more.”

She reached out and squeezed his hand. Shinnosuke moved in close to her and put his arm around her waist, watching the sun set over the water with her. There was no one around to be seen; so he leaned across and brushed his lips against hers. Kiriko returned the kiss and leaned against his shoulder, her soft smile all the lovelier in the dying light.

Shinnosuke wished he could somehow tell his younger self that in the end, two years was no time to wait for her at all.

***

Chase wasn’t good at being around crowds of people, and he also wasn’t good at trying to guess human moods. With that in mind, Shinnosuke had suggested they go to a small basement sushi bar at a time when it was likely to be fairly quiet. There shouldn’t be too many people around, and he and Chase could mostly sit and talk together. That would put Chase at his ease.

The food was delicious, and the service good; there were only two or three other people in the restaurant besides them. Chase talked about the usual things that he would discuss over dinner: Shinnosuke’s job, Gou’s photography, their plans for dinner with the Special Unit, household chores. It wasn’t much different than an ordinary evening at home with Chase but it was an opportunity to spend some personal time with him. Shinnosuke didn’t do that nearly as much as he’d like.

He drank a beer, then tried to order another one.

“Shinnosuke is not allowed any more beer,” Chase informed the waitress. “Kiriko said he may have one drink only.”

“It’s my birthday!” Shinnosuke protested. “I’m not even driving.”

“It is not your birthday until tomorrow. Two orange juices, please.”

All the same, Shinnosuke couldn’t help cracking a smile. Chase had always adored Kiriko, and he made sure that in their household, what she said went. It made Shinnosuke love them both all the more. He didn’t need to drink to have a good time, anyway. He enjoyed Chase’s company so much that it was fairly late by the time they started heading home.

“We should walk home this way,” said Chase, and led Shinnosuke down a side road, in the opposite direction from the path they’d taken to get here.

“Are you sure about this?” said Shinnosuke. “Do you know where we’re going?”

“Of course. It is not very far at all.”

They turned down a couple of narrow alleyways and then went down some steps towards what turned out to be a rear entrance of the nearby park. Shinnosuke wondered why they hadn’t taken the main road.

“Why’d you want to go to the park, Chase?” he said. “There’s no one here.” It looked beautiful, though. All the trees were decorated with strings of bright lights, lit up for the season even though it was almost deserted. In the silent stillness of the night, he might almost describe it as magical.

“Shinnosuke does not like his birthday being part of Christmas,” said Chase. “I have brought you here, where there is no Christmas. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

It was such a sweet, simple gesture that Shinnosuke reached out to draw Chase close, and Chase relaxed into his embrace without a moment of hesitation.

***

All the old Special Unit team had signed a birthday card for Shinnosuke, and they’d bought him a present. It wouldn’t be polite to open it in front of them. Last year, they’d given him an XBox game that Gou had strongly hinted Shinnosuke wanted. Shinnosuke, of course, never played Xbox but at least the game had kept Gou quiet for several days.

“It might be the last time we can do this as a team,” said Otta, a little wistfully. “Next year, either Doc or I will have to stay at home.”

“We can get a babysitter. Or bring the baby. It’s fine, Genpachi.” Rinna was so big now that she could barely fit her bump under the table, but she seemed to be having a good time all the same.

“I don’t know, maybe Shinnosuke could use a break next year. It can’t be fun to have your birthday at Christmas every year,” said Kyu.

Shinnosuke looked at Kiriko’s smile, Chase’s calm contentment, felt Gou’s hand on Shinnosuke’s arm; and for the first time, thought that the date of his birthday might be lucky after all.


End file.
